Carlo Jean

A UN brokered solution to the chaos in Libya does not seem to be working. With Russia now involved and a new US president, an about-face with respect to which faction should be supported might be the best solution.

The Libyan Civil War needs external forces to come in and sort things out. Unfortunately the forces that are inclined to engage and are capable of making a difference have different goals and sympathies, which only complicates an already chaotic situation.

Turkey’s most recent election saw the population rally behind the ruling Islamist party. Safe at home, for the time being, Erdogan must now continue his ongoing balancing act between the Muslim world and Europe.

Communications has always been a crucial element in any defense strategy. The current digital revolution has magnified its importance beyond measure. How can communications be controlled without jeopardizing the freedom that is the purpose of defense?

If you want peace, then prepare for war, the old adage goes. Obama is attributing Syria’s surprising willingness to give up its chemical arsenal and engage in negotiations to a credible threat to punish the regime with military strikes.

The war in Syria poses a problem for the US and Europe because intervention would most likely serve to bolster the jihadists. Meanwhile, the more Russia is called on to put pressure on Assad, the more influence it gains in the region.

Managing security issues involves definition, planning and day-to-day management. In this world of rapid change and flux, assessing any given situation requires a multifaceted approach to geopolitics that often goes against the grain of traditional strategies.

There is an undeniable relationship between funding for scientific and technological research in the military and the rate of innovation spinning off and spilling over into the industrial spheres. Like it or not, military innovations have accelerated economic development.

A combination of factors – new technology, fear of nuclear energy and climate change – has natural gas gaining in Europe’s energy mix. This shift in balance entails a number of worrisome implications in the geopolitical equilibrium.

If anyone can run an efficient nuclear industry, one would think the Germans can. And they have. But popular opinion and Fukushima panic have tipped the scales, and Merkel has traded German energy independence for votes.­

Now that a no-fly zone has been implemented, the newly formed coalition’s political and strategic objectives will need to adapt to the changing situation. But first everyone has to agree about what those objectives are.